Fitness Buzz: Fitness and Health Bloggers Conference

Posted by Coach Stacy on June 25, 2012
Posted in: Fitness BUZZ. Tagged: , . 1 Comment

Power Breakfast at the Bloggers Conference

Debby and I spent last Friday plugged in at the weekend-long Fitness & Health Bloggers Conference at Anschutz Health and Wellness Center in Denver (www.FitnessBloggersConference.org).   You might think that’s a bit ironic, since I spend most of my time preaching about unplugging and getting outdoors and being physically active.  But – and I’m rationalizing here – fitness blogs serve to get you “plugged in” to better health!

The two of us love blogging about fitness and health and we joined several hundred others who are helping to make the world fitter and healthier – one follower at a time.  We were energized and inspired by the other bloggers, people who are as passionate as we are about “spreading the health.”  Social media is exploding and we’re looking forward to riding the wave of this new and exciting adventure.  You’ll want to check out these other noteworthy and useful fitness blogs that we discovered at the Conference:

Fun and Fit:  www.funandfit.org

Powercakes:  www.Powercakes.net

Oatmeal in My Bowl:  www.oatmealinmybowl.com

Taking it all in at the Conference Tradeshow

The Conference tradeshow was a blast, where we scored lots of great swag and information from health, fitness and nutrition oriented companies like Bliss.com, Adora Calcium, TechnoGym, American Council on Exercise, Goodness Knows, Love Grown Foods, Cherry Marketing Institute, Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, Health Communities/Health Central Publications, and many others.  Throughout the next few months we’ll be featuring many of these companies’ products and ideas.

Lastly, Debby and I would like you, as followers of Coach Stacy’s Healthy U, to tell us what topics you’d like to see us cover on the blog – fitness trends, diet info, healthy lifestyles – you name it and we’ll cover it!  What are your burning questions in the fields of fitness, health, diet and nutrition?  Email me at coachstacy101@gmail.com. 

Stay tuned – we’ve got lots more health and fitness topics to explore on www.coachstacyshealthyu.com.  And just remember, when you’re moving, you’re improving!

Coach’s Kitchen: Spinach and Strawberry Salad

Posted by Debby Ridgell on June 21, 2012
Posted in: Coach's Kitchen, Diet & Nutrition. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

From www.dashrecipes.com

Toss this easy and healthy salad from the spinach and strawberries you’ve harvested from your garden!

2 Tbsp butter

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1 bag baby spinach, washed and patted dry

1 mango cut into cubes

1 cup sliced strawberries

½ cup balsamic vinaigrette (such as Newman’s Own)

In a small sauté pan, melt butter.  Add almonds and sauté until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.  In a large bowl, combine spinach, mango, strawberries and almonds.   Toss with vinaigrette to taste and serve immediately.

Per Serving:

290 calories; 33 g carbs; 5 g protein; 18 g fat; 15 mg cholesterol; 530 mg sodium; 8 g fiber

Pass the Health: Plant a Garden, Harvest Health

Posted by Debby Ridgell on June 18, 2012
Posted in: Pass the Health. Tagged: , . 1 Comment

Several years ago I decided to plant a back yard garden.  Nothing fancy or particularly ornate – just a few vegetables – tomatoes, zucchini, squash, spinach and lettuce.  I threw in a few pumpkin seeds and sunflowers for good measure and off to the side, a bed of wildflowers for color.  I was in the throes of a simplification phase back then, consciously looking for ways to reduce my footprint and uncomplicate my life.  Spending more time outdoors and growing my own produce seemed like steps in the right direction. 

What I didn’t anticipate was the enthusiasm with which my dogs would embrace my gardening endeavor which evolved into a five month ritual of monkey-see, monkey-do.  I’d spend the morning digging rows with spade and hoe; my Lab would follow, excavating random garden craters with her massive forepaws.  Afternoons spent pulling bindweed and purslane were outdone by my German Short-Haired Pointer’s systematic extraction of whole tomato plants at dusk.  There’s nothing quite as disheartening as seeing the Big Daddy Hybrid that you’ve faithfully and lovingly nurtured for three months perishing in the proud jaws of your dog.  I threw in the towel in mid-August when I discovered that my ripe and robust summer squash and zucchinis had become makeshift organic chew toys.

Despite the challenges I faced with the “local fauna,” the fitness benefits I enjoyed in cultivating that little plot of earth were substantial.  Gardening and yard care are outstanding lifestyle exercises; but it’s a modern day anomaly – we’ll pay the big bucks for a landscaping firm to manicure our lawns for 30 minutes each week then spend hours at the gym huffing and puffing on elliptical machines.  Yet gardening represents a complete workout:  Strength training, endurance, and flexibility.  All body parts come in to play including the upper body, arms, core muscles, back and legs. 

My modest garden became a little outdoor gym where I burned as much as 200 calories per hour:

  • Digging and hoeing – 150-200 calories/hr
  • Mowing – 180-240 calories/hr
  • Weeding – 150-180 calories/hr
  • Raking – 120-160 calories/hr
  • Planting, dividing, and transplanting – 135-180 calories/hr

In addition to the impressive calorie burn, gardening presents a wide range of physical and emotional health benefits including:

  •  Improved stamina and flexibility
  • Decreased risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and osteoporosis
  • Stronger bones and joints
  • Increased energy levels
  • Improved overall mental health and decreased depression
  • Stronger sense of life satisfaction
  • Improved food diet if vegetables are being grown – in essence, the cultivation of one’s own salad!

There’s also a certain “spiritual” satisfaction that comes with performing purposeful, productive labor that’s good for the environment and contributes to sustainability efforts.  For many, simply being outdoors tends to calm, relax and restore.  Likewise, careful exposure to natural sunlight boosts Vitamin D intake, the usual result of which is increased Serotonin levels and improved mood and energy levels.  Gardening is also an excellent activity for family members to enjoy together.

However, several precautions should be taken in order to avoid injury, especially for those new to gardening.  First and foremost, avoid over-exertion.  Most physicians and fitness experts recommend 30 minutes of moderate garden activity to start, which can be lengthened as one’s stamina and general fitness level improve.  Also, be smart and use good physical form so as to avoid injury.  Stretch beforehand, lift with your legs, use your core, squat down instead of bending over, and avoid twisting awkwardly.  Vary your activities – rake a little, prune a little, pull a few weeds.  Take breaks from time to time and be sure to hydrate, especially on very hot days.

The myriad of benefits that are derived from tilling the soil inspired me to take another crack at the old garden this year.  After all, my dogs are much older and slightly less destructive.  What did I have to lose?  While poking around my local Home Depot earlier in the spring, I got to talking to Hector in Hardware, who convinced me that home-grown produce was in my future and all I had to do was fashion a few doggie-proof containers, which I hired him to build, complete with high-security, impossible to penetrate chicken wire, that so far have yet to be breached.  A back yard garden bunker; nothing fancy or particularly ornate – just a few vegetables.

And I’m dreaming each night of squash and zucchinis.

Gardening for Fitness Resources

Look for these at your local library or book store:

 Get Fit Through Gardening:  A Fun Program to Get Your Body Fit, Your Food Fresh, and Your Mind Calm by Jeffry Restuccio

 The Resilient Gardener:  Foot Production and Self-Reliance in Uncertain Times by Carol Deppe

 Garden Your Way to Health and Fitness by Bunny Guiness and Jacqueline Knox

Ask Coach Stacy: Exercise Hoops — How to Find Them, How to Make Them

Posted by Debby Ridgell on June 16, 2012
Posted in: Ask Coach Stacy, Physical Activity. Tagged: , , , . 4 Comments

Q:  Coach, I loved your daughter’s hula hooping post, especially the fact that 8 minutes of “exerhooping” yields the same calorie burn as running a mile.  It inspired me to dig my kids’ hula hoop out of the garage and have at it, but I couldn’t seem to make it work.  I notice that the hoop Presley is using in the article’s picture is bigger than my kids’.  Is there a special kind of hula hoop out there just for exercising?   – Beth, Castle Rock, CO

 A:  The little hula hoops that you’d find in toy stores for kids are not meant for adults because they’re simply too lightweight and small.  There are a number of online sites from which you can order exercise hoops (try www.hoopnotica.com).  Or, better yet, you can make your own for a fraction of the price that you’d pay online. 

One of my clients, Phil, makes hoops for me and here’s how he does it.  First go out and get:

  •  PVC or Poly Tubing which can be found at Home Depot or general hardware or irrigation supply stores (for exercise hoops, you’ll want ¾” 160-200 psi)
  • Insert Connectors (generally, if you buy ¾” tubing, you’ll use ¾” connectors)
  • PVC cutters
  • Brightly colored duct tape, at least two colors

Cut the tubing to the desired diameter.  Hoops with ample diameter are best for beginners.  Then heat up the ends of the tube, either in hot water or using a blow dryer.  Insert a connector about half way in one end of the tube then attach the other end of the tube onto the connector.  You’ll want to make the tube and connector fit as snugly as possible.  Finally, wrap the duct tape, first by sealing the seam then alternating the colors around the entire hoop.

Have fun “exerhooping,” Beth!

Fitness Buzz: Hula for the Fitness of It!

Posted by Presley Fowler on June 14, 2012
Posted in: Fitness BUZZ, Physical Activity. Tagged: , , . 2 Comments

It’s finally summer and everyone knows what that means…swim suit season!   As my freshman year of college was winding down, I found myself daydreaming of the upcoming long, hazy days when I could sit out by the pool for endless hours.  But then I found myself dreading the very act of tugging on my bikini because my once toned and firm core has become a bit flabby.  While I’m determined to work my abs back into shape again, a little summer laziness has already set in and I don’t always feel like doing an intense ab workout.   No problem – I’ve discovered the perfect solution:  Hula hooping!

Hula hooping is one of the best core workouts you’ll find.  And it’s fun!  I picked up a hula hoop for the first time when I was five years old and was hooked immediately.  In fact, at the end of my kindergarten year, I entered my school’s talent show with a hula hooping act.  I got up on stage and just stood there hooping to a three minute CD.  Five minutes later I was still at it and probably could have kept going another five but someone eventually came up on stage and politely herded me off so the next act could go on.  You’ll be pleased to know I received a second place ribbon for my hula finesse.  So I guess you could say I’m something of a hula pro – and it evidently runs in the family because my mom, Coach Stacy, has recently started to incorporate “exerhooping” into her weekly Boomer fitness classes and they’ve been a huge hit!  I joined in her class last week and even though I hadn’t hooped in quite a while, I discovered that it’s a little like riding a bike – you never forget how to do it. There I was, working my core and having a blast!  And because I was having so much fun the time literally flew by.  Before I knew it we had been hooping for eight minutes straight, which according to Coach Stacy, burned as many calories as we would have running a mile.  And I don’t know about you, but I’ll hoop any day over running a mile.

Now, here are a few hula facts for you to ponder:

  •  Hula hooping is great for burning fat as well as toning your body’s core muscles.
  • The heavier the hoop, the more resistance provided which means the faster your muscles will be toned.   The more weighted the hoop is, the greater number of calories you’ll burn.
  • The secret to hula hooping is to rock your hips forward and backward, as opposed to side to side, which is what most people try to do.  Think of it as a pumping motion, not a circular motion.
  • Hooping is a low impact exercise that will gradually increase your endurance and aerobic capacity.
  • Hula hooping can greatly improve your coordination because it requires timing and rhythm.
  • It can also increase the flexibility of your spine because of the wide range of motion required (great for those who are prone to back injuries).
  • Hooping is an excellent brain exercise, particularly if you try rotating your hoop in both directions – clockwise and counter clockwise.  For me, counter clockwise is a piece of cake, but clockwise, not so much.
  • Most importantly, it is a fun way to exercise, and when exercising is fun, you’re more likely to actually do it!

Finally, an enjoyable workout that burns lots of calories, costs next to nothing, with no gym membership required.  ANYBODY can get fit by hula hooping!  I was so impressed with the Boomers in my Mom’s class. They were really good at exerhooping – all except for one old fellow named Jim, who for the life of him, couldn’t keep his hoop going for more than about five turns.  But he just kept at it and we all cheered when he actually got it going ten times.  As my mom always says, “When you’re moving, you’re improving,” and Jim was doing just that!

Pass the Health: Get Outdoors Colorado a Huge Success

Posted by Coach Stacy on June 12, 2012
Posted in: Get Outdoors, Pass the Health. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

“Healing the broken bond between our young and nature is in our self-interest, not only because aesthetics or justice demands it, but also because our mental, physical, and spiritual health depends upon it.”  Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

Kudos to all who planned, coordinated, facilitated, performed for and attended the 5th Annual Get Outdoors Day Colorado event at City Park last Saturday!  The event was a great success – Get Outdoors Celebration is working here in Colorado thanks to you!

 

 

 

Get Outdoors Colorado!

Posted by Coach Stacy on June 7, 2012
Posted in: Coach's Daily Dose, Get Outdoors, Physical Activity. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Join my friends and me for the 5th Annual Get Outdoors Day Colorado

Date:  Saturday, June 9, 2012

Time:  10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Place:  Southeast area of Denver City Park (E. 17th Avenue and Colorado Blvd.)

This is a fun-filled celebration of Colorado’s outdoors featuring great fun and food for the entire family.  Activities will include fishing, rock wall climbing, canoeing, Zumba, hula hooping, drumming, Junior Ranger activities, orienteering, Tai Chi, live music and dancing, mountain biking, and much, much more!

For more information, log on to the Get Outdoors Colorado website.  Hope to see you there!

Pass the Health: Trail Smarts

Posted by Debby Ridgell on June 5, 2012
Posted in: Get Outdoors, Pass the Health, Physical Activity. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Hiking is an enjoyable, inexpensive and easy form of physical activity.  But I’ve learned the hard way that you need to be prepared – even if you’re planning a quick trip because the “quick change artist” that is the weather can turn an ill-equipped outing unpleasant in a hurry.  And so, here are some common sense tips for “field tripping” safely on the trails.

 The American Hiking Society (www.AmericanHiking.org) has developed the “10 Essentials of Hiking,” items that should accompany you on every hike:

  1. Correct Footwear – as in comfortable shoes or boots with good tread, and socks that will wick moisture away from your feet.  If you’ll be hiking near water or rain is possible, you should carry an extra pair of socks.
  2. A Map and Compass.  Laminated maps are best, or pack the map in a zip lock bag.  GPS is fine, when it’s working or undamaged, but also pack the low tech gear as back-up.
  3. Plenty of Water – two quarts per person all times of the year, including winter.  Bring plenty of water for the dogs too, if you’re bringing them along.
  4. Plenty of Food – think about the possibility of injury and your inability to make it back to the trailhead.  You might end up on the trail much longer than expected and will be thankful you brought the extra trail mix or energy bars. 
  5. An extra layer of clothing, a rain jacket, and a hat.  Avoid cotton if at all possible because it retains moisture.
  6. Safety Essentials:  Lighter or matches, whistle, flashlight and cell phone. 
  7. First aid kit – compact, pre-assembled kits can be purchased at sporting goods and camping stores.
  8. A pocket knife or multi-purpose tool.
  9. Sun screen, sun glasses and bug spray.
  10. Backpack to put all your gear in.

Meteorologists do their best, but alas, sometimes the weather even fools the experts.  Here are some tips for hiking when the weather is unpredictable:

  • Know the forecast.  If storms are expected, be more vigilant and as suggested above, bring a poncho or rain jacket if the weather is expected to get colder or wet.
  • Watch the horizon for storm clouds and listen for thunder.
  • Observe the 30/30 rule:  Count the seconds from the lightning flash until the thunder is heard.  If it’s less than 30 seconds, you need to find shelter, such as a car or an enclosed building.  Picnic shelters and trees are not good shelters in a lightning storm.
  • If you are in a secluded area when a thunderstorm hits, retreat from high places.  Seek a valley or depression in the terrain.  Remove your backpack if it has a metal frame, and move 100 feet away from it. 
  • Crouch down on the balls of your feet and cover your ears.  Spread out if you’re hiking with a group.

And a few more dos and don’ts for optimum safety on the trails:

  • Avoid hiking alone, and tell someone – a friend or family member – where you’re going and approximately when you plan to return.
  • Use the restroom before you embark – and be prepared to dispose of your animals’ waste while on the trail.
  • If you’re hiking with your little ones or critters, proceed at a pace they can handle.
  • NEVER drink water that hasn’t been purified, and if handling food, make sure your hands and utensils are clean.
  • Stay on the trail to avoid getting lost or encountering snakes or other wildlife.  “Bushwhacking” also causes erosion.
  • Watch out for loose rocks, low-hanging branches, and poisonous plants.
  • Stop for rest breaks – and have everyone hydrate (including your dogs).  Don’t go farther than you can make it back.  Early in the season, take it easy the first few times out and gradually increase your distance and stamina.
  • Carry the “10 Essentials” but don’t pack too much if you can avoid it.  An overly heavy pack will wear you out in a hurry.
  • Pay attention – to the weather, your environment and landmarks, and the condition of your fellow hikers.  Take note of blazes along the trail – these are the swatches of paint you’ll find on trees indicating you’re still on the trail.
  • If you get lost, stop and look around.  Recall some of the blazes or landmarks you’ve observed, and consult your map.  Stay warm and dry and try to make a shelter if nightfall is approaching.  Be visible and heard.  Three short whistle bursts is a standard distress signal.  If aircraft is approaching, lie down so that you look bigger from the air.
  • Be sure to pick up your own trash. 
  • Enjoy the wildlife, but don’t get too close.  Be especially aware if you’re hiking in bear or mountain lion territory.

So there you have it.  Now that the weather’s warm, I urge you to take some time, get outdoors and enjoy Mother Nature’s remarkable beauty.  But be smart along the trails too.

Coach’s Daily Dose: Take a Hike

Posted by Coach Stacy on June 2, 2012
Posted in: Coach's Daily Dose, Get Outdoors, Physical Activity. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”  ~John Muir

When I was teenager my family went on a camping trip one summer in gorgeous Durango, Colorado.  Days and days of hiking in the mountains and fishing in the streams had an enormous impact on me.  I fell in love with the outdoors – and when the opportunity to move permanently to Colorado arose back in 1996, my husband and I jumped at it.  Those of us lucky enough to live full time in Colorado are keenly aware that we live in a vacationland.  We have more sunny days than almost anywhere else in the United States and a myriad of outdoor activities and adventures that are a mere stone’s throw away.  It’s like living in a giant outdoor gym – fitness with a view.

Sadly, though, many of today’s youth are nature-deprived and an increasing number suffer from nature-deficit disorder.  This generation of children and teens are far less connected to the outdoors than in any previous generation.  A recent study showed that between 1997 and 2003, the proportion of American 9-12 year olds who spent time engaged in outdoor activities like hiking, gardening and fishing fell by 50%.  While roughly 6.5 hours per day are spent with electronic media, only 30 minutes per week are spent on unstructured outdoor activities!  Children today are six times more likely to play a computer game than ride a bike.  Naturally, this trend has had an extremely negative impact on the health and well-being of America’s youth. As adults, it’s incumbent upon us to reach out and help reconnect youngsters with the Great Outdoors.

According to Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, “Healing the broken bond between our young and nature is in our self-interest, not only because aesthetics or justice demands it, but also because our mental, physical, and spiritual health depends upon it.”  What can we do to reconnect our kids with nature?  It’s simple:  Have them unplug and go outside.

While Teddy Roosevelt was President some 100 years ago, he used his position to champion the cause of environmentalists, establishing wildlife refuges, setting aside public lands for national forests, and advocating for protection of natural resources.  He knew intuitively back then that reconnecting with nature is a sure fire way to improve the health and well being of our citizens.  His legacy was the preservation of public lands for Americans’ enjoyment and recreation.  Thanks to Teddy Roosevelt, our opportunities for outdoor fitness and recreation all over the U.S. are nearly endless. So schedule outdoor excursions with your friends and family.  Go walking, hiking and bike riding.  You just have to take that first step – walking out the door.

Coach’s Kitchen: Healthy Trail Mix

Posted by Debby Ridgell on May 31, 2012
Posted in: Coach's Kitchen, Get Outdoors. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Divvy this mix into snack bags and bring it along on your next day hike.

From www.cooks.com

1 ½ c oats

½ c wheat germ

½ c nuts

¼ c sesame seeds

¼ c blanched slivered almonds

½ c mixed color raisins or Craisins (or both)

½ c coconut

½ tsp cinnamon (optional)

¼ c vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

¼ c honey

Preheat oven to 375°.  Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix together vegetable oil, vanilla and honey and pour over the dry mixture and stir.  Spread the mixture evenly on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Cool and break up any lumps.  Store in an airtight container. 

 Variation:  Add ½ tsp of cinnamon for a spicier taste.